Page 49 of Rafe

“There’s nothing Tag Pricketts likes more than showing off,” Tally offered. “He probably just wants you to see how much bigger and better his farm is.”

Jade nodded. That did make sense, from what she’d seen of the man so far.

“I’ll take the lead,” Rafe decided. “My senses are elevated compared to yours.”

Jade fell back, deciding that it was a good idea.

Besides, even though they were clearly able to work together, she didn’t like the idea of him glowering at her all day. And he couldn’t do that if she was behind him.

They headed deeper onto the property, and she tried to keep her gaze on the fences instead of sweeping the horizon for signs of the surveyor, in case Tag was watching.

The split rails looked exactly the same as hers - made from a rough-hewn timber that had surely come here at a ridiculous price. Why did Tag want her to look at it?

They continued into the frozen tundra, their crunching footsteps the only sound. A floating island up ahead cast a long shadow on the ground. Jade shivered just thinking about how cold it would be under there.

“Why was he so wild about this fence?” Tally asked, running a hand along it as he walked. “Looks like everyone else’s.”

“Careful, you’ll get a splinter a mile long,” Rafe remarked. “That wood must be as dry as a sand dragon’s bum.”

“I’m fine—oh,” Tally said.

Jade turned, surprised to see that he was running his hand through the wood.

“How are you doing that?” Jade asked.

“Parts of the fence are not real,” Rafe breathed. “Now that’s clever.”

“But how does he keep the deer in?” Jade asked. “Won’t they just run off?”

“Training,” Rafe said. “If he keeps them in a smaller section where all the wood is real when they’re small, they’ll respect the appearance of the wood later. And they won’t know which parts are fake.”

“Wouldn’t it make them easy to steal?” Jade asked.

“Only if you knew about it,” Rafe said. “I don’t know what to make of the fact that he showed you.”

“Is he hoping she does hers the same way?” Tally suggested. “Maybe then he can steal her deer.”

That was a stretch. Tag had no reason to steal her deer. He was the one supplying them in the first place.

“Or maybe he’s just being friendly,” Jade said. “Stranger things have happened.”

“Look,” Nanee-12 said suddenly.

Jade stopped to look and gasped.

“What is it?” Tally asked.

“Water,” Rafe said. “I scented it earlier but wanted to be sure. That’s a natural spring.”

The tundra was basically a frozen desert, water scarcity was the main barrier to survival for biological forms.

A spring of this size was so rare that it was worth more than money.

It was salvation - pure life, erupting from the ground.

They all drew closer, eyes on the sparkling liquid, more precious than diamonds for the ranchers of Rothbart.

“She’s here,” Rafe said softly.

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